


Love's Boundary

by motherbearof3



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-07 14:19:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15221015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motherbearof3/pseuds/motherbearof3
Summary: Olivia and Rafael are in a relationship. She goes away to a symposium and Barba, no longer with the District Attorney's office, stays behind with Noah. But a taunting text from Rita Calhoun makes him jealous.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story had a been a couple paragraphs long until today when it exploded once I got the last chapter of Overheated posted. I started working on it to get my brain thinking about all my other WIPs that need attention and then I got sucked in to this. It was prompted by the photos of Mariska Hargitay and Philip Winchester in Monte Carlo. 
> 
> For the record, I don't hate Stone. I just think they made him too casual and familiar with Olivia too soon. I also think his wardrobe is boring.
> 
> And, as always, none of these characters belong to me except the guy from West Chester County. All others belong to NBC and Dick Wolf who graciously allows us to play with them.

“Are you sure you don’t want to ask your mom to watch Noah?” Olivia asked as she placed clothes in her overnight bag. “Then you can come with me.”

“He’s itchy, Liv. And grouchy,” Rafael replied. He was sitting on the bed watching her pack. “Besides, it’s not like I can attend the seminars since I’m not with the DA’s office anymore. I’d be stuck in the hotel room waiting for you to be done.”

“There are things to do in Saratoga Springs and it would be some time away together,” she said, a little disappointed he wouldn’t be convinced to let Lucia babysit. “You don’t think your mother is capable of slathering him in calamine lotion?”

Noah had gone to day camp the previous week and on a hike managed not only to find, but fall into a large patch of the dermatological menace. His small arms and legs were covered with the blisters, and he’d transferred some of the oil to his neck and face before they realized he was contaminated. For several days, they’d been covering him in the soothing pink liquid, having him soak in oatmeal baths and saying, “don’t scratch”.

Olivia moved to stand between his knees and put her hands on his shoulders, combing her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

“You could come to the meals with me and be my date for the evening events.”

Rafael snorted. “I used to be the keynote speaker at those dinners. Now I’d just be gossip fodder if I showed up in the audience.”

Moving her hands to either side of his face, she forced his head back to make eye contact.

“It’s not like you’re sitting around watching telenovelas, Barba,” Olivia told him, bending to kiss his lips, enjoying the tickle of his neatly trimmed mustache and beard he had grown after leaving the District Attorney’s office.

Rafael was working with various child advocacy groups in the city helping children and families get representation; whether it was a terminally ill child like Drew Householder or parents trying to leave abusive relationships or highly divisive child custody cases, he sourced and matched them with the best possible attorney. He himself hadn’t been in a courtroom since the last day of his own trial when he was found not guilty. When he wasn’t meeting with families or prospective lawyers, he was enjoying learning how to be a parent to Noah.

He’d almost lost his nerve that bitterly cold February day outside the courthouse and not admitted his love to the woman standing before him. But in the end, when she looked at him with her brown eyes swimming with tears and said, “And?” Rafael had taken the leap he’d been so afraid to for years and said simply, “And I love you, Olivia Benson.”

Almost five months later, he’d all but moved in with her and Noah, spending more time at their apartment than his own place. When school ended, he suggested they give Lucy a month off and he would take the boy to the camps his mother signed him up for, as well as do some things together; just the two of them. Olivia was a little surprised but agreed when Noah was equally enthusiastic about the idea. Now, his case of poison ivy was keeping Rafael home with him. Part of her suspected he didn’t want to go to the conference since it was probably the first one he’d not attended since becoming an ADA. He stood and pulled her close, pressing his lips in the crook of her neck where he knew it would make her shiver.

“I know,” he said softly. “I just don’t know if I’m ready to face some of the people that will be there. Fallen and disgraced and all that.”

Olivia pulled back to look at him. “Well, if you change your mind, it’s only a few hours’ drive,” she said.

He and Noah saw her off with Fin, who as the squad’s newest sergeant, was attending for the first time. Olivia kissed her son’s curly head, giving his shirt-covered shoulders a gentle squeeze to avoid touching the itchy rash.

“Goodbye, sweet boy. Be good for Rafa.”

“I will, Momma,” Noah said.

Olivia looked at Rafael, knowing Fin was waiting in the car behind her at the curb. They hadn’t made a secret of their relationship, but since they no longer worked together people like her sergeant hadn’t seen them being affectionate toward each other.

“You going to kiss me in front of Fin, Lieutenant?” He gave her his trademark half smile, tipping his head to the side.

“I certainly am, counselor.”

She stepped closer and slid a hand up his chest and around the back of his neck. Holding his head in place, she slowly moved her own until her lips touched his. Mindful of her son standing beside them, she didn’t kiss him the way she’d prefer, but simply applied gentle suction on his lower lip. One of his hands came to rest on her hip and held it firm. When their lips parted, he said, “I love you.”

“I love you, too. I’ll see you in a few days.” She trailed her hand back down his chest.

The next morning, after Rafael had applied a fresh layer of lotion on Noah and got him settled with an educational game on Olivia’s iPad, he sat down with a fresh cup of coffee to check his emails. Then his phone vibrated with an incoming message. Thinking it might be from Liv, he grabbed it, only to see:

**_He took your place at the DA’s office, is he taking your place beside Olivia too?_ **

The text from Rita Calhoun, one of his oldest friends and probably the only person who could get away with a statement like that was accompanied by a photograph of Olivia and Peter Stone at the symposium. They were smiling for the camera, Stone with an arm around her waist. She was wearing a striped shirtdress he knew she’d bought for the trip, telling him she was tired of wearing black pants all the time. As usual, she looked stunning.

Rafael clenched the phone tightly in his hand, a hot flush of jealousy washing over him. Rationally, he knew the photo was for the press. The DA’s office showing off the newest addition to the SVU team. But that didn’t make the fact _his_ replacement was standing next to _his_  -- his what? Girlfriend? Lover?  He shook his head. Whatever the term, it should have been him standing there with his arm around her, not Stone; who couldn’t even be bothered to wear a tie, the heathen. He snorted, making Noah look up from the iPad.

“What are you laughing at?” the boy asked as he surreptitiously scratched his leg, which didn’t go unnoticed.

“Don’t scratch, _mijo_ ,” Rafael said. The term of endearment had just slipped out one day shortly after he and Olivia began their relationship. It surprised both adults at first, but it felt natural and they agreed it didn’t put any pressure on them so he continued using it. “I was looking at a picture of your mom.”

“From the sim-po-zee-um?” Noah said the new word phonetically.

“Yes.” Rafael was typing a reply to Rita.

_Shut the hell up. You know I can’t go. I thought you’d sent one of your minions this year?_

**_I did.  Odafin sent it to me. And you can go. Go show those assholes you haven’t crawled under a rock._ **

_Oh, so it’s Odafin now is it?_

**_At least it didn’t take me six years.  You know you can make it there for the dinner tonight.  It’s a BBQ or something. They’re trying to make it fun. As if some of those stuffed shirts can relax. But take your tux. Tomorrow night is the black tie._ **

_I’m not going._

**_Uh-huh. Gotta go. Tell Liv she owes me one for sending you to rescue her from Pretty Boy._ **

Rafael sighed. Damn Rita. She knew how to push all his buttons. That’s what happened when you were friends with someone for more than 20 years. He swiped his phone screen to his favorite contacts and tapped a name, raising the phone to his ear.

“Hi, Mom,” he said when the call was answered.

After lunch, Rafael dropped Noah off at his mother’s place and headed north to Saratoga Springs where the symposium was being held that year. The town was in upstate New York, situated on Saratoga Lake and was a popular destination for conferences and vacations. It was also home to a well known horse track. It was about a three hour drive from New York City so Rafael had plenty of time to argue with himself about why he was doing this. Olivia wanted him to go with her. She had said as much. It had nothing to do with the photo Rita sent with her taunt, he tried to convince himself with little success. _Admit it, Barba. You’re jealous. You’re jealous that Stone is there with her and not you,_ whispered a little voice in his head. He thought of the photo again. Stone’s arm around her. Both of them smiling; and he clenched his teeth and hands on the steering wheel. When his jaw started to ache, he forced himself to relax so he didn’t end up with a headache. Turning on the satellite radio, he found the Broadway station. Listening to his favorite show tunes helped lighten his mood.

Cocktail hour was underway when he arrived at the resort where the conference was being held, according to the schedule Olivia had left for him. He needed to change clothes before he made an appearance, wanting to look his best in front of many people who still considered him a baby killer and disgrace to his profession. Approaching the front desk, Rafael wondered how he was going to talk himself into Olivia’s room.  On the drive up, he’d considered various arguments he could employ, even entertaining the idea of telling them he was her husband. He needn’t have worried.

“Mr. Barba, yes, Ms. Benson said you might be joining her,” said the smiling clerk. She tapped on her computer, swiped a key card and slid it across the counter to him in its little paper sleeve. “Room 512.”

He took the elevator to the fifth floor and found his way to her room, overnight bag on his shoulder and garment bag in hand. The door clicked open and he stepped inside. It was spacious and rather luxurious. A splurge by the county this time, compared to some of the places he’d stayed before for this symposium. He hung the garment bag and tossed the overnight on the bed, crossing to the window to see what kind of view there was to be had. He could see a lake in the distance and down below was a courtyard with a large while tent set up for the evening meal. Outdoor dining? Rita wasn’t wrong when she said they were trying to make it fun. Rafael could see men going in and out of the tent and few of them wore jackets. He would go without as well. Didn’t want to make himself stand out anymore than he already was going to. A quick change put him in gray trousers, white shirt, pink suspenders and a tie patterned in navy. He may have forgone the jacket, but Rafael Barba wasn’t going without a tie. Not like Stone. In the closet he’d noticed Olivia’s striped dress and he wondered what she’d changed into.

As he stepped out into the courtyard the smells of a traditional BBQ met his nose: meat on a charcoal grill, a hint of spicy sauce, corn on the cob. Rafael rarely got nervous, but a handful of butterflies took flight in his stomach as he approached the tent which had a side only where the bar and food tables were set up. The other three sides were open with people milling about and sitting at tables, drinks in hand. His eyes searched for Olivia, not knowing what she was wearing and he paused beside on of the tent poles.

“Rafael Barba?” said a voice and he turned to find the speaker. It was Luke McCaffrey, a district attorney from West Chester County. “I thought I recognized those suspenders.”

He shook hands with the man. “Luke, how are you?”

“Keeping busy. What about you? I didn’t expect to see you here this year.” The man pulled a face. “Sorry. I didn’t mean -- “

Rafael waved a hand. “It’s okay. I’m actually here with Olivia Benson. Have you seen her?”

McCaffrey nodded toward the bar. “I think she’s over there with Peter Stone. Didn’t he -- ”

“Yeah,” the former DA interrupted. “He’s the new me.” That hot wave of jealousy was building in him again, burning the wings off the butterflies. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find her.”

“Sure thing. Nice to see you.”

“You too.”

Rafael took a step in the direction of the bar and as he did, the crowds parted and he saw Olivia standing there. She was wearing a different dress, one he didn’t know she’d bought. It was navy with a floral print. It had short sleeves and a neckline that was not exactly appropriate for a work function, he thought, feeling his forehead crease into a frown. Her legs were bare and she wore bright pink sandals. A perfect summer outfit. For a date with him. Not a working dinner with the man who was handing her a glass of red wine. Stone.

“Jesus,” he muttered.

That man really did not know how to dress, he thought. He was wearing light trousers and a white shirt -- probably the same one he wore all day, Rafael thought -- with the sleeves turned up to his elbows. No tie. Again. And…..he looked closer. Were those boots? Surely he hadn’t tried to dress the part for the BBQ?! No, they were just shoes in a color that made him cringe. Then she laughed, throwing her head back. The musical sound carried across the tent to his ears. That was it. Rafael straightened his shoulders, and made his way between tables. He had just maneuvered around a chair when Olivia looked in his direction and her expression went first to surprise and then a joyful smile spread across her face. When he was a last almost arm’s length away, she held out her free hand.

“Rafael! You came!”

He took her hand in his and his world righted itself once more. It didn’t matter what people thought of him, as long as she was by his side. Releasing her hand, he slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.

“I changed my mind and decided I’d surprise you after all,” he said. Then he nodded at the younger man. “Stone.”

“Mr. Barba. Nice to see you again.”

 _I don’t believe you,_ Rafael thought. But at least he had manners.

“I’m glad you changed your mind,” Olivia told him, returning the kiss on his cheek. “Let’s sit down. Peter and I were just about to find a table.”

She took his arm and led the way to a round table that still had empty chairs. He helped her get seated and then took the chair to her right. Stone sat on her left.

“How’s Noah?” Stone asked. “Liv said he has a bad case of poison ivy. I know how that feels. I got it many times as a child.”

Rafael bit back a retort about not being able to recognize the plant after the first experience and said Noah was doing better and staying with his mother.

“You’ll want to replace his baseball glove if he wore it after he was exposed,” said Stone. “It could have oils in or on it that could start the rash over again.”

That was a good suggestion, Rafael had to admit, and nodded as Olivia thanked him. As they talked she sidled a glance at the man beside her and wondered why he changed his mind and joined her at the conference after all. She didn’t care; she was happy to have him with her. Reaching over to his hand where it rested on the table, she covered it with hers and gave it a squeeze. They were joined at the table by other attendees and conversation focused on the day’s speakers. Rafael had nothing to contribute, but he was content to listen and watch the beautiful brunette beside him.

Later that evening when the meal was over and they were in the elevator, Stone turned to Olivia.

“Do you want to meet for breakfast, Liv? Before the first seminar?”

 _Liv? Did he just call her Liv? I didn’t call her that for years! He’s less than six months in and she’s Liv?_ Rafael could feel his blood pressure start to rise. By his side, arm looped through his, Olivia was unaware of the swirl of jealousy he was fighting down.

“Sure, Peter,” she said. “We’ll meet you in the dining room. Is 7:30 too early?”

 _Peter? Not Stone? Not Counselor? She didn’t call me Rafael until we had worked together nearly four years._ He ground his teeth.

“Not too early at all. I’ll be back from my run by 6:30,” Stone replied.  The elevator opened on the fourth floor. “This is me. See you tomorrow.”

“Good night,” she said cheerfully.

“‘Night, Stone,” Rafael managed.

Once they were in the privacy of their room, he tugged viciously at his tie and mimicked Stone, ‘I’ll be back from my run by 6:30.’ Then snorted derisively. “And how long has he been calling you Liv? Has he no respect for your rank?”

Olivia kicked off her sandals and curled her painted toes into the soft carpet. Then she padded over to help him with the knotted tie that didn’t appreciate his yanking. Gently untying it, she replied, “We’re not at work, Rafa. He doesn’t have to call me Lieutenant.”

“But he should,” he growled.

“What has you in such a pissy mood all of a sudden?” she asked, grasping both ends of the now undone tie and pulling him in for a kiss.

The touch of her lips on his, and some of his surliness began to fade. He wrapped his arms around her waist and bumped his nose against hers affectionately, them back to being the same height.

“Just tired, I guess,” he fibbed, "and a little stiff from driving up here."

“Let me help you with that,” she said in his ear, turned him around and pushed his suspenders down, then began massaging his back. Soon, both their clothes were in a pile on the floor and Rafael was feeling grateful Rita sent him that text, his jealousy forgotten.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia discovers the reason why Rafael changed his mind about joining her at the conference.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This second chapter is filled with angst, but has a happy ending. I promise. I actually wasn't planning on ending it the way it does, but sometimes the muse works in mysterious ways. 
> 
> Always, my thanks to NBC and Dick Wolf for giving me these wonderful characters to play with.

The alarm on Olivia’s phone went off far too early for Rafael’s liking. He had gotten used to sleeping a little later with Noah on summer break. They were spooned together in the king sized bed with a pillow top mattress, legs tangled and his nose buried in her hair. She moved to get out of bed and he pulled her back against his chest.

“I need to get up, Rafa,” she said.

“A few more minutes,” he mumbled against the back of her neck.

They didn’t often get the opportunity to lie around in bed in the morning because of work and Noah, and he was enjoying her warm, soft skin pressed against his. Because also, they had slept naked; another thing they seldom got a chance to do. After a few minutes, Olivia tried rolling away but again his arms tightened around her and she chuckled. When he relaxed his hold, she tried to move quickly, but he was faster and held her firmly in place, eliciting a burst of laughter. Moving within his embrace, she rolled to face him. His eyes were closed but she knew he was awake. All of him.

“If you’re not going to let me out of bed, you should at least take advantage of the situation,” she said, sliding a leg over his thigh and using it as leverage to pull their hips closer. 

When they finally got out of bed, Rafael said with a smirk, “I feel bad for Stone. That was definitely better than going for a run.”

When they met the DA in the dining room a short time later, Rafael mentally rolled his eyes and wondered if Chicago was that different from New York or if the younger man just didn’t like them, because again, he wore no tie and the same brown shoes as the night before, but they looked marginally better with this suit. Fin, who had sat with fellow officers the night before, was already at a table and waved them over.

“Morning, Liv, Stone. Hey, Counselor, nice to see you changed your mind!” 

“Sergeant,” Rafael returned the greeting. He gave the man a look and Fin grinned innocently, lifting his coffee cup to hide it.

“What?” Olivia asked, not missing the exchange. “What did Fin have to do with you changing your mind?”

“Oh, he just pointed out what I was missing. You,” Rafael said, kissing her cheek.

She smiled at him. Sometimes, he could be quite the romantic.

“What are you going to do today?” Olivia asked as they ate.

“I thought I’d check out the lake. See what kind of vacation rentals are available. Maybe we can bring Noah back up for a few days.”

“The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown is about two hours away,” supplied Stone. “You could take a day trip over there.”

“Peter, Noah would love that!” she said, then turned to Rafael. “Wouldn’t he? Can you look into that too?”

“Sure,” he agreed, trying not to get angry at Stone for knowing something Noah would like.

Too soon it was time for Olivia, Fin and Stone to head off to the first seminar of the day. She kissed Rafael goodbye.

“I’ll text you when I know what time we’re breaking for lunch. Have fun sightseeing.”

“It would be more fun with you,” he replied.

Rafael had put on trousers and a short sleeved collared shirt for breakfast, but the day was already warm and he wanted to be comfortable. So he returned to their room and traded the pants for a pair of shorts and his shoes and socks for flip flops. Prior to this summer, he hadn’t owned a pair in years but when they were shopping for summer clothes for Noah, the boy convinced him to get a pair and he realized the new versions were far more comfortable than ones from his childhood. Of course, he reflected as he slipped his feet into them, when you could afford ones with leather straps and cushioned soles versus ones that were all rubber, it made a difference.

It was a beautiful day and he got caught up just driving around, exploring places he and Olivia could go with Noah that when she texted him with the time of the lunch break, he was too far away to make it back in time.

_ No worries. I can eat with Peter.  _  She texted in reply. Rafael made a face at his phone. 

_ Make sure you’re back in time to dress for tonight.  _

_ You brought your tux, right? _

 

**_Hanging beside your dress in the closet._ **

**_Which dress did you bring?_ **

 

_ You’ll just have to wait and see.  _ That came with a winking emoji which made him smile and forget that she was having lunch with Stone instead of him.

Rafael had often thought Olivia could wear something made from his Abuelita’s old flour sack kitchen towels and still be the most beautiful woman in the room. That night what she had on was the furthest from old flour sacks and as usual, stole a breath from him when he saw her emerge from the bathroom.

“Zip me please.” 

She presented her back to him and he slid the zipper pull upward to end between her shoulder blades. The dress was gray but with enough shimmer to make it look silver without being gaudy. The neckline vee’d in the front with just a hint of cleavage to keep it appropriate for a business dinner and her arms were bare.  Her hair was pulled into a loose knot at the base of her skull, showing off the slender column of her neck. Rafael pressed his lips to her skin where where her neck and shoulders met. When she felt his teeth, she spun around in mild alarm.

“Don’t leave a mark!”

“Why not? I want everyone to know you’re mine,” he growled, pulling her close and replacing his mouth. He wanted to mark her. Wanted every man who saw her that night to know she belonged to him. But he wouldn’t. Not before the dinner anyway.

Olivia closed her eyes and tipped her head back with a sigh as his lips worked magic on her skin. A text tone on her phone brought her back to reality and reminded them both they needed to get downstairs. The text was from Lucia. Noah saying good night. There was a photo of him, his poison ivy looking improved. 

“Let’s send him one back. Show him how beautiful his mother is,” Rafael said, taking the phone from her and snapping a photo. 

“Both of us,” she insisted, straightening his bow tie and then sliding her arm around his waist. He changed the view on the camera app and extended his arm to get both of them in the shot. Then both photos were sent back to his mother with good night wishes for Noah and promises they would  be home the next afternoon.

As casual as dinner had been the night before, the opposite held true that night. The banquet room was a sea of black jacketed and bow tied men, and women in their finest. Some of the male officers in attendance had opted for their dress uniforms. Fin was among those, cutting a dashing figure as Olivia spotted him standing talking to a woman in an emerald green sheath. She and Rafael made their way to them and the woman turned. It was Rita Calhoun.

“Rita, what are you doing here?” asked Rafael, although he had a sneaking suspicion he knew the answer, based on their text exchange the previous day.

“Odafin asked me to be his date,” she replied, slipping a hand through the crook of  the sergeant’s elbow.

Olivia raised an eyebrow at her second in command but said nothing. 

“It’s nice to see you again, Olivia,” said Rita, then she looked at Rafael. “I see you took my advice.”

“What advice?”

“Nothing. Let’s get a drink,” Rafael took Olivia’s elbow to steer her away from the other couple, shooting a glare at his old friend, who failed to take the hint. Maybe she’d already had too many glasses of white wine on an empty stomach, or perhaps it was Fin’s intoxicating presence but she smiled sweetly and answered the question.

“I simply told Rafi that even though Stone has taken his place as your ADA, he didn’t need to take his place with you here at the conference.”

Olivia felt Rafael stiffen at her side and even Fin knew Rita had overstepped. He had sent her the photo of his lieutenant and Stone as a joke between them. He didn’t think she’d send it to Barba.

“Let’s go find our table, Babe,” Fin suggested quietly, leading Rita away.

Olivia watching them walk away then turned to the man at her side. 

“Rafa?”

“Liv, I --”

“I thought you came up here because you wanted to be here with me? Did you come because you are  _ jealous _ ? Of Peter?”

Just then, Stone approached, oblivious to the conversation.

“Hello, Liv. You look lovely,” he smiled at her, all teeth, and Rafael ground his together. His face remained neutrally polite, but his posture straightened and Olivia felt tension radiate off of him.

_ He was jealous!  _ She realized, and that annoyed her. He had no reason to be jealous. It also annoyed her that he only drove up here because he didn’t like the thought of her being at the conference with Peter.

“She does, doesn’t she?” Rafael managed, unclenching his teeth. “I need a drink. Anyone else?”

Olivia shook her head and Stone held up the glass in his hand.

“Why don’t you go find our table? I’ll meet you there, then.”

When he located her, having downed one shot at the bar and carrying another two fingers of scotch on the rocks, she was sat at a table, blessedly without Stone. Or Rita and Fin. The coordinators of the simposium seemed to have separated colleagues for this dinner. Fin was seated with other police detectives and Stone with district attorney’s from other counties, including Luke McCaffrey. Although he didn’t recognize any of the other people seated around Olivia, he presumed they were police officers of similar rank. As he took his chair beside her, Rafael put a glass of wine in front of her. She shot him a look and he offered a small smirk that said he knew she hadn’t meant what she said. 

Their table mates were from far enough away in the state that his name was not familiar to them. Either that or they were too polite to remark on it if they did, when he introduced himself. He didn’t add, former ADA and neither did Olivia. For the moment, he was simply Rafael Barba, her date; for which he was grateful. As the evening progressed, he wondered when Olivia was going to ask again about Rita’s comment. He knew it wasn’t a matter of if she would, because she would; but when. At one point, he put his arm across the back of her chair and for a moment she leaned toward him, then seemed to remember she wanted to be annoyed with him, and straightened away. The movement was imperceptible to anyone else but him and he knew that meant the subject was not closed.

“Looks like there’s going to be dancing,” said a captain from a town near the Canadian border, with whom Olivia had been talking most of the evening, as the only other female officer at the table. A small ensemble was setting up at the front of the room. Her husband looked at Rafael and grimaced.

“And I suppose you’re going to make me dance?” he said to his wife, a petite blonde who reminded Rafael of Amanda Rollins, except with an accent that sounded more Canadian than southern.

She smiled and patted his hand. “At least one.”

Rafael looked at Olivia. Normally, he would make a comment about dancing, but he wondered if she would even let him take her onto the dance floor. Right now, her body language, even as she made conversation with the others, told him probably not. He stood up. He needed the men’s room and another drink.

“Excuse me,” he said. 

As he made his way into the hall in search of the restroom, he could hear the music begin playing. Olivia had watched him walk away and allowed herself a frown.  _  Why would he be jealous? It was ridiculous! And of Peter of all people!  _ The captain had taken her husband onto the dancefloor and she took a drink from her wine glass. This could have been an enjoyable evening for them. She didn’t get to see Rafael dressed up much anymore and he was damned sexy in a tuxedo. Suddenly there was a voice at her side, breaking into her thoughts.

“Liv, would you like to dance?”

It was Peter.  _ Had he seen Rafael leave the room? _ The devil on her shoulder whispered,  _ go for it. If he wants to be jealous, give him something to be jealous about.  _ Olivia smiled at the younger man and pushed her chair back.

“Why yes, Peter. I’d love to dance.”

Rafael had re-entered the banquet room and was standing at the bar waiting to place his order, when Rita glided up beside him, the heels of her Louboutins quiet on the carpet.

“Hi,” she said. “How mad are you at me? Courtroom mad or Harvard mad?”

Courtroom mad was the faux bickering and angry banter they exchanged when they were on opposite sides. Not real anger that affected their 20-year friendship, but the kind expected toward each other in the professional setting. Harvard mad, on the other hand, was legitimate anger. Like when he loaned her his car and she backed it into a pole and then tried to tell him someone else hit it. He looked at her. She looked contrite.

He pursed his lips. “Somewhere in between I think.”

“I'm sorry, Rafi. I meant it as a joke between us. I shouldn’t have said anything in front of Olivia. But you’re not really jealous of him are -- oh shit.”

“What?” 

Rita was staring past him toward the small floor intended for dancing. He followed her line of sight and the wave of jealousy he’d felt looking at the photo of Olivia and Stone the day before turned into a tsunami and crashed over him as he saw the pair together on the dance floor. They were in a traditional stance; their bodies not even touching other than where their hands rested on the other and were clasped together, but the idea of Olivia in Stone’s arms in any fashion had him seeing red. His former classmate put a hand on his arm, feeling the muscles tense beneath his jacket.

“I’m sure she just said yes to be polite,” Rita told him. “Go cut in. Show him how a real man dances and let the room see she’s yours, Rafi.”

He hesitated.

“Barba,” she said quietly in her courtroom voice. “Go.”

It was change in her tone that broke through the jealous haze in his brain. Drawing in a breath through his nose and exhaling through his mouth, he straightened his shoulders and stepped away from Rita’s hand. Eyes focused on the couple on the dance floor, he wove his way between the tables until he reached the group of couples dancing. Stone’s back was to him but Olivia saw him coming and her eyes widened, seeing the look on his face. Maybe she shouldn’t have listened to that devil on her shoulder. He tapped firmly on Stone’s shoulder, who turned, surprised at the touch.

“Stone,” Rafael said. “I would like to dance with my --” 

He stopped, his thoughts from the previous day returning. _His what?_ _What was she? His love, his life, his everything; but he wasn’t saying that aloud to anyone but Olivia._ He tried again. 

“I think it’s my turn,” he said simply. 

The younger man’s hands fell to his sides and he stepped back. There was no arguing with the tone in his voice or the look in his eyes. Stone knew the SVU lieutenant and his predecessor had a relationship, but didn’t realize until that moment how serious it really was. The former ADA had a predatory air that told anyone who was watching that Olivia Benson was his.

“Of course,” Stone replied.

Olivia had watched this show of machismo with amazement and not a little bit of annoyance. But when Rafael pulled her into his arms and began dancing her around the floor with confident steps, she couldn’t stop her pulse from picking up pace. Where Stone’s hand had rested lightly at her waist, Rafael arm was curled possessively around it, holding her close; his hips pressed firmly against hers. And while Stone had held her hand gently, almost gingerly at arms’ length, Rafael’s long fingers were closed around hers, holding it against his lapel. She looked into his green eyes which were alight with emotion and tried to sound like she didn’t appreciate his actions, but her voice came out soft and husky.

“So you were jealous.”

“Yes, Olivia.” Her name rolled off his tongue like a caress and she shivered a little. “I was jealous. When Rita sent me a photo of you and Stone standing together, having your picture taken, I was jealous. Not jealous that he has the job I used to. He can have it. But jealous that he was standing beside you, touching you, watching you smile.”

“That was nothing. It was just for the press,” she started, but he cut her off with a nod of his head.

“I know that. But it didn’t change the fact he was here and I wasn’t. I should have come with you. Should have been here to listen to them introduce you to speak yesterday. But I let my pride and fear of what people might think of me get in the way. Then I got jealous that Stone was here and I wasn’t. So I drove up but then he kept calling you ‘Liv’ not lieutenant and you called him Peter, not Stone \- you didn’t call me Rafael for almost five years - and he can’t dress for shit except he does look nice in a tux so tonight when I saw you dancing with him I got jealous all over again.”

She stopped dancing, forcing him to stop moving as well. Olivia took her hand from his shoulder and placed it on his cheek. They were at the edge of the dance floor, but still out in the open and Rafael didn’t want to continue the conversation in public. He threaded his fingers through hers and led her through a set of glass doors that opened to the area where they’d eaten the night before. The air was comfortable for a summer evening. They walked along a path bordered by low shrubs and flowers.

“I’m sorry, Liv,” he said softly. “I behaved badly.”

She stopped and turned to face him.

“Oh, Rafa. Was I a little disappointed you didn’t want to come with me to this? Yes. Was happy when you showed up yesterday? Extremely. But if you hadn’t, I would still have come home to you. You.

“Peter -- yes, I call him Peter because he’s more than ten years younger than me -- may have your old job, but he has not replaced you. No one could ever replace you. In my life.” Olivia took his free hand and placed it on her chest. “In my heart.”

He could feel her heart beating hard and fast against his palm. Her eyes were bright in the moonlight. She looked beautiful. Rafael lifted her other hand that he still held and pressed it to his crisp white shirt over his heart that was pounding as well. He hadn’t planned on having this conversation here, under these circumstances, but the fates seemed to have offered it to him.

“Nor mine. I can’t promise I’ll never be jealous again, Olivia Benson, but I can promise that I will love you forever. If you’ll let me.”

She drew in a sharp breath, knowing where he was going. Rafael continued,

“I don’t have a ring handy but we haven’t been traditional in our relationship from day one, why should this be any different? So, Liv, will you marry me?”

Olivia smiled at him, tears of joy shining in her eyes. With a laugh, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his, trapping their hands between their bodies, still over each other’s hearts. Then she said,

“Well, since I told you years ago I’ll be squabbling with you when I’m 85, I can’t say no, can I?”

**Author's Note:**

> There will be at least one more chapter, when Olivia finds out exactly why Rafael decided to join her at the conference.
> 
> The title comes from a quote by Dr. Ron Johnson, Jr. who is a pastor in Indiana: 
> 
> "Jealousy in and of itself is not good. It is only godly and helpful when it protects the covenant relationship. Jealousy is love's boundary. Jealousy is like a strong fence that keeps out intruders from encroaching upon the marriage covenant."


End file.
